Kangleimaichou

Sumita Mehta, a well-paid government employee, always wanted to own a stylish and good-quality tote for daily use and a clutch for social gatherings. However, browsing a prominent market like Delhi’s Sarojini market for the bags she desired was both difficult and time-consuming; trusting her instincts and limited product knowledge, she occasionally purchased the right products; otherwise, it was pure disappointment. This was then, long before the Indian economy was liberalized. Her daughter’s generation can now freely choose from a diverse product range offered by multiple brands. Unlike Mehta, today people no longer have to travel to major shopping destinations in other countries to buy high-end products as they are present in most Indian metros. According to a report by Research and Markets, the handbags market in India is poised to grow by $207.51mn during 2022–2026, progressing at a CAGR of 4.90% during the forecast period. The Indian handbag market, segmented as clut...

Last December, when Delhi breathed comparatively less polluted air, the Yamuna, often referred to as the capital’s lifeline, experienced the ecological assault of sewage and industrial effluents. A government report indicated that the pollutant load in the river had increased substantially over the last five years. Then, like any other year, in the soft mountains of pink candy foam rising from the grey surface of the river, devotees gathered to dip to mark Chhaath puja. Every year, the Delhi government shuts down supplies of sizeable water treatment plants because the level of ammonia generated by industrial waste becomes higher than what they can treat. Last year, for more than 33 days, the level of ammonia in water remained above treatable levels, impacting over a third of Delhi’s water supply. The toxic foam that engulfs the river for large parts of the year is linked to the phosphate content of detergents in the wastewater of cloth manufacturing units. Several such u...

  With the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions around the end of the previous year, 2022 started with an inherited mixture of anxiety, hope and vigour to revive and reclaim the pre-COVID-19 normalcy.  When asked what he would do next, a publisher friend, who had been infected twice with COVID and his print publication shut for two years, said, “Publishing is the only thing I know, and this means I have to pull in everything to re-launch the publication at any cost.” Such was the state of mind prevalent across businesses and the working force battered by the pandemic. Similarly, the fashion industry started the year on the same note. Long-shuttered businesses finally opened, dusted and became operational, yet many never returned. Masked customers, who had been shopping online, trickled into stores operated by masked staff.  After experiencing 18 months from early 2021 through mid-2022 of growth, it faced a challenging time again. Persistent inflation an...